Bad A-Level results?

If you've just picked up your results and they weren't as sparkling as you'd hoped, fear not, Caitlin Jones has got your Plan B sorted

Aug 14, 2014

It's A-Level results day.

Those words will probably inflict butterflies and nausea this morning as you head back to school for the final time to pick up your grades and discover where you'll be spending the next 3 to 7 years of your life.

You feel like everything rides on this moment but if you don't get the results you dreamed of, we've got your fail safe guide about what to do now:

IF YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO GO TO UNI

1) FIRST STOP-check UCAS track. Even if you've missed the grades for your first choice uni, don't panic immediately- you still may have been accepted. If it says on your UCAS track that you've got an 'unconditional' place, chill out- you've made it. Well done!

'CONDITIONAL'- If your track still shows your place as 'conditional', it means they haven't decided yet. The best thing to do is to call them as soon as possible and find out when they expect to decide. You can also then tell them any details which might help your case like your UMS grades, remarks, etc.

NO 'UNCONDITIONAL'- If you didn't make the grades and your UCAS track doesn't say you've got an unconditional place, you haven't got many more options to do with this uni. Most universities won't consider you if they've outright rejected you- there are just too many applicants. Remember though- Universities only receive grades, not UMS scores, so if you were particularly close to a grade boundary it may be worth calling up and explaining this to your university. The same is true for re-marks, and you'll need to let the uni know as soon as possible.

2) NEXT- If you didn't make your firmed uni and they won't accept you, you've got a few options. Check your Insurance university- you may well have been accepted by them.

3) CLEARING- If you haven't made your Firm or Insurance uni's, you now enter Clearing (not as ominous as it sounds). There are a few different places to find out about Clearing positions- The Daily Telegraph publishes a full list of Clearing Universities on the day, and also has a Clearing app for iPhone and Android. UCAS also publishes a list of the uni's offering Clearing places which is updated frequently, but the most accurate place to find out will be the university websites. You can apply to any uni and any course with clearing places, but you can only apply for one at a time, and you must wait until after 5pm on Results Day. You will also need to speak to the University first- it is very unlikely that you will be accepted without speaking to anyone.

4) TALK TO YOUR TEACHERS

If you haven't been accepted by your insurance, the best thing that you can do is to go and talk to your teachers. You may feel like the only person in the world who might not be going to uni, but the reality is your school has seen many students in the same position over the years. They know your circumstances and the University system and they really can help you with the next few steps

DONE BETTER THAN YOU EXPECTED? If you've secured higher grades than you thought you would and think these could get you into a uni you hadn't previously applied for, you're eligible for Adjustment- that's applying to unis with higher grade requirements. You will need to do this through UCAS track and it will be up the the universities you approach to decide whether you get an offer or not. UCAS won't publish a list of universities with Adjustment places so you will need to call the uni's individually- make sure you stress that you are looking for Adjustment, not Clearing.

IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD - HERE ARE YOUR OTHER OPTIONS

If, after everything, you decide that university this year is not right for you, you have a few options:

DEFER YOUR PLACEYou can call up the university you got into and ask to defer your place for a year- usually, the majority of uni's will be fine with this. If you decide you want to take a year out to re sit a few modules, and reapply next year, you will need to let the universities know and you will be entered for Clearing on UCAS.

DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT?

There are so many exciting options for you- from travelling, to internships, to working for a year and saving for uni next year! As the university fees increase, more and more students are making the decision to start at the bottom of their chosen career and work their way up anyway. In many professions, such as fashion and journalism, this method can end up more beneficial as long as you're capable, willing and sociable.

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